


Runaway Bird

by Tacuma



Series: 50 First Meetings [24]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Budgies, First Meetings, Humor, M/M, parakeets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-30 09:33:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11460828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tacuma/pseuds/Tacuma
Summary: Sam's bird Redwing escaped and Steve's helps to find it back. A bird is not all he finds.





	Runaway Bird

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Desolate_Smog](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Desolate_Smog/gifts).



> This is not beta-ed, my apologies

Someone was loudly banging on Steve’s door. With a half-eaten sandwich in his mouth Steve went to open it. He was still in the middle of lunch and didn’t really expect any visitors. Yet he wasn’t surprised when he found his neighbour Sam on the other side of the door.

‘Let me guess,’ Steve said after swallowing his bite. ‘Your budgie escaped again?’

‘Yes,’ Sam said with a heavy sigh. ‘Is he here?’

‘My windows are closed,’ Steve said as he walked back into the living room, Sam following closely behind. ‘As should yours be when you let your birds out of their cage. But let’s check the balcony. Which one escaped?’

‘Redwing again,’ Sam answered.

‘Maybe you shouldn’t have named a white and blue parakeet Redwing,’ Steve joked as he checked his balcony. The only bird there was a fat pigeon, no budgie. ‘Sorry, he isn’t here. Are your windows still open? He might come back on his own.’

‘Yeah, the windows are open and Falcon and Hawkeye are locked in their cage,’ Sam said. ‘Can you help me search for him? Redwing loves to make a nest in your hair. If you go outside with me he’ll probably fly straight at you to sit in your hair. Redwing is a really cool name, by the way. He loves it.’

Steve snorted. ‘Alright, I’ll help you search for your bird. But if I find him, you grow your hair out, so he doesn’t have to make his nest on my head anymore.’

‘Deal,’ Sam said, a grin on his face. He knew that Steve really didn’t mind having the cute birds all over him. He was never going to grow out his hair.

The two of them went outside and looked around. There wasn’t much nature in their street, so they checked the one tree and the few bushes that were around, but Redwing wasn’t there. They checked the buildings, but the parakeet wasn’t sitting on any of the balcony’s or roofs. They checked all his favourite spots, it wasn’t the first time he escaped, but they couldn’t find him anywhere.

‘He’s probably somewhere where there’s food around,’ Sam said. ‘I’ll check the shops, you check the offices?’

‘It’s Saturday,’ Steve answered. ‘Do you think there will be a lot of people around the offices? I think most of them are closed during the weekend.’

‘Most are,’ Sam agreed. ‘But the lunch bars and restaurants are open.  There will be food there. Redwing is smart enough to find a place with food and few people.’

‘If you say so,’ Steve said. ‘I’ll head that way. Give me a call when you find him!’

Steve made his way towards the offices. They called it offices, but it wasn’t anything big. Just a few office buildings around a square with restaurants. Steve had worked at the coffee shop on the square when he was still in art school. It was a lively place during weekdays, but during weekends, not so much. Redwing might like the quiet though. The bird was smart, it knew where to go. It was so smart that it recognized its own name. Good for Redwing, good for Sam, but less good for Steve. It meant he actually had to call the budgie.

‘Redwing?’ Steve asked softly, every time he passed a tree or a bush. He didn’t really dare to yell, he didn’t want to disturb people who were enjoying their lunch. ‘Redwing, where are you?’

Steve knew he should have brought a treat. Something to lure the parakeet with. Although seeing the amount of pigeons, he might have been attacked and robbed from the treat before Redwing even noticed. There was nothing else to do than to keep searching and keep calling. Steve walked around for over half an hour and was about to give up, when he saw a man waving his arms, like he was trying to get rid of a bug. Something bigger than a bug: a bird.

As quick as he could Steve ran to the man to see if it was really Redwing he was trying to hit. When he noticed the black and white wings and the blue belly there was no mistake, it was Sam’s budgie. The man who was trying to kill the bird was big and bold, but he had a grey beard. Redwing didn’t seem to care that he couldn’t make a nice little nest in the man’s hair, his beard was good enough. Too bad the guy didn’t seem to like the little bird.

‘Let me help you!’ Steve said to the man.  The bearded man stopped slapping and let Steve get the bird. Carefully Steve grabbed Redwing and held his wings against his little body. With his fingers Steve took the tiny little claws out of the man’s beard.

‘Are you okay?’ Steve asked when he pulled Redwing away from the man. ‘Did he hurt you?’

‘Is this your bird?’ the guy hissed.

‘No,’ Steve answered as he held Redwing close to his chest, afraid the man would try to hurt him.

‘I’LL SUE YOU!’

‘It’s not my bird,’ Steve said surprised.

‘Who are we suing?’ a third person asked as he made his way towards Steve and the man. ‘Wait, Obi, what is that on your face? Are those scratches? Did the bird do that? Are you seriously telling me that tiny little bird did that? No way! There’s no way…’

The man started laughing loudly, adding to Steve’s surprise.  What was going on?

‘I’ve seen you fight three armed guys and come out on top, but a budgie is what brings you down?

‘Anthony, shut up and get in the car,’ the first man said. ‘It’s not safe here.’

‘Yeah, the birdie could attack me too! Oh, I’m so scared!’ Anthony laughed. ‘Not going to ever let you forget this, Obi. This is the funniest thing I’ve seen in a very long time. You’re not getting rid of me, or this story! Too funny!’

Steve had trouble holding Redwing, so he put the budgie on his head, where he happily made himself a little nest out of Steve’s hair.

‘Is there something I can do to make up for it?’ Steve asked, feeling a little bad for the scratches Redwing left on the man’s face.

‘You just said it wasn’t your bird!’ the big man yelled.

‘It’s not,’ Steve answered, not intimidated at all. ‘It’s my friend’s bird. It escaped and I helped him look for it. It never attacked anyone before. So, how can my friend and I make up for it?’

‘That disgusting animal must…’ the big man started, but he was interrupted by the smaller man.

‘Go on a date with me.’

‘Excuse me?’ Steve said. He didn’t think this could get any more confusing, but somehow it just did.

‘Sorry,’ the smaller man said. ‘Haven’t even introduced myself. ‘My name is Tony Stark. This is Obadiah Stane, my right hand man when it comes to business. To make up for the attack, you could go on a date with me. If you’re into that kind of things. Men, I mean. If you’re into men. You’re hot and you seem to be a decent person, trying to make up for something you’re not to blame for. So, we totally forgive you and the budgie if you go on a date with me.’

‘You’re not kidding?’ Steve asked. ‘You want to go on a date with me?’

‘What’s your name?’ Tony asked.

‘Steve Rogers.’

‘Steve, you seem to be very surprised that someone is asking you out. You’re a good looking guy, you know,’ Tony said. ‘You’d think there are more people who’d like to date you. Unless the owner of your feathery friend is hotter than you are.’

Tony wiggled his eyebrows after his last sentence and Steve couldn’t stop a smile.

‘He is, but he’s not as much into guys as I am,’ he answered.

‘Anthony, you’re not going on a date with that guy,’ Obadiah said strictly. ‘You’ve had your fun, let’s go.’

‘Last week you said I should get married and now you’re trying to make me abandon the cutest guy in New York. Make up your mind.’

With a groan Obadiah walked away.

Tony took a business card out of his pocket. ‘This is my number. Text me your address and I’ll pick you up for coffee tomorrow.’

‘I will,’ Steve answered as he took the card. Tony gave him a brilliant smile before he hurried after Obadiah.

‘Who was that,’ Sam asked as he appeared next to Steve.

‘That was Tony Stark,’ Steve answered. ‘And his right hand man, apparently.’

‘Did Redwing cause any trouble?’ Sam asked as he petted the budgie on top of Steve’s head.

‘Not really,’ Steve said. ‘He might actually be the best wing man in town.’


End file.
